Elsevier

Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Volume 22, Issue 6, November 2017, Pages 1142-1145
Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Case Report
Late radio-lunate arthritis following ulnar shortening osteotomy

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jos.2016.04.012Get rights and content

Introduction

Ulnar shortening osteotomy has become increasingly popular for the treatment of ulnar impaction syndrome because it yields reliable results and pain relief in patients with idiopathic and post-traumatic ulnar impaction syndrome [1]. However, complications related to osteotomy have been reported, such as delayed union, nonunion (0–5%) [2], the need for plate removal (24–28%) [3], and stress fracture after plate removal [4]. Here, we present a very rare case of radio-lunate arthritis after ulnar shortening osteotomy for ulnar impaction syndrome. The patient was informed that data concerning her case would be submitted for publication.

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Report of the case

A 35-year-old right-handed woman presented to the outpatient clinic of our hospital with a two-year history of pain in the right wrist. The patient was a full-time housewife for fifteen years. Physical examination revealed tenderness and moderate swelling of the dorsal aspect of the wrist around Lister's tubercle. Her pain was aggravated by wrist motion, especially supination and dorsiflexion. Initial wrist range of motion (ROM) was evaluated (dorsiflexion 30°, plantar-flexion 70°, radial

Discussion

Ulnar impaction syndrome, which is frequently seen in patients with positive ulnar variance, results from excessive load of the ulnar head against the triangular fibrocartilage complex and ulnar carpals. Surgical treatment for ulnar impaction syndrome is based on decompressing the ulnocarpal joint. Through USO, positive variance is converted to neutral or negative and, consequently, the overload between the ulnar head and carpals is decompressed [5]. To the best of our knowledge, radio-lunate

Conflict of interest

No funds were received in support of this work. No benefits in any form have been or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this manuscript.

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